JACKSON, Miss. – The Millsaps Volleyball team dropped a pair of hard-fought matches today on day one of the 2010 SCAC West-Central Cross Divisional Tournament.

In game one the Majors (13-9, 3-6 SCAC) took the Southwestern Pirates to five sets to determine the winner, but came up just short in the final set to drop a 2-3 decision to open the four-game tournament. The two teams swapped sets back-and-forth, 22-25, 25-13, 16-25, 25-23, and 12-15.

Maggie Tumminello led the Majors' effort offensively with 17 kills in the match for a .283 attack percentage. Two players, Kasey Laird and Erica Cook each had 20 digs apiece to pace the defense.

In game two Millsaps battled back in the fourth set, but fell to Trinity University 3-1 for their second loss of the day. Millsaps took the first set 25-20 but gave up the second set 16-25. The third set was the decisive set, however. Both teams played evenly the entire set, swapping points, all the way to a 25-25 tie forcing extra points. The Tigers swung the last two points their way, taking the momentum with them into the fourth set. Though the Majors fought all the way, they were unable to force a fifth set, falling 22-25.

It was Tumminello again with the most kills for the Majors with 15. She also added 19 digs to her effort to pace the team on defense as well.

The Majors will continue SCAC-play tomorrow in day two of the Cross Divisional. Matches start at 9:00 a.m. with the Majors getting underway in the second game at 11:00 a.m. and again in the closer at 3:00 p.m.

In other matches:

Trinity University defeated Rhodes College 3-1 (17-25, 25-21, 25-15, 25-19).
Austin College defeated Birmingham-Southern 3-1 (19-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-16)
Colorado College defeated Hendrix College 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 25-23)
Southwestern defeated Hendrix College 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-17)
Austin College defeated Rhodes College 3-0 (25-11, 25-12, 31-29)
and
Colorado College defeated Birmingham-Southern 3-0 (25-17, 25-11, 26-24)